Page 108 of Treasure of the Abyss

Despite any misgivings, his path was clear; he knew what to do, knew there was only one way to be sure she was safe. He had to go with her. Had to place himself at the mercy of her people. He had to ensure her survival, even at the risk of hisown.

When she agreed to go to the Facility for the first time, had Macy felt the same fear blossoming in herstomach?

He tightened his hold on her and stopped, turning to Arkon andDracchus.

“I will go on with her from here. You two stay back,” hesaid.

“Nonsense,” Arkon protested. “I will go with you,Jax.”

“I am not afraid of these humans.” Dracchus’s nostrils flared as he shifted his gaze to TheWatch.

“No. It is too dangerous. I will take her, and whatever happens, both of you will return to our people. They cannot stand to lose three of us atonce.”

“And what of you?” Arkon’s brow was low, his eyeshard.

“For her, anything,” Jax said. The words washed over him, easing the tension in his muscles. Macy had sacrificed much — her comfort, her friends and family, her home, her freedom — since they’d met. He would do the same, and more, if it meant savingher.

Arkon clenched his jaw and forced air through his siphons. “We will not leave you. We’ll keep watch from thesea.”

“Good luck, Wanderer,” Dracchussaid.

Jax nodded. “Thank youboth.”

He turned away from them, ducked beneath the surface, and swam toward thedock.

The humans will help her. She willrecover.

He angled himself upward as he neared the end of thedock.

Theywillhelpher.

Adjusting his hold on Macy, he pulled himself onto the end of the dock with one arm and his front tentacles. The structure floated on the surface of the water, and its swaying, combined with the sense ofheavinesshe always felt in the air, set him off-balance.

“What the hell is that?” someone shouted fromnearby.

“Oh, shit!” A second human stumbled back, calves hitting the side of his boat. He tumbled into it with acrash.

Jax cradled Macy in his arm. He shifted her wrist and brushed his fingertip over the control there, summoning the projection. She’d shown him how to perform some of the basic functions just to pass the time one day. He knew the symbols by their shapes, rather than their meanings, and touched them in the order she’ddemonstrated.

He took the mask in hand and set it aside gently as humans approached, their footsteps heavy. Their hushed voices held a mixture of fear and awe. Carefully, Jax drew back Macy’s hood, uncovering her sweat-dampened hair and looked up at the humans. “Help her.Please.”

“That’s Macy!” One of the humans turned his head and yelled over his shoulder. “GetBreckett!”

“What is that?” another humanasked.

“I don’t know… Amonster.”

“Help her,” Jax repeated. Even with the suit on, even after hours in the water, the unnatural heat of Macy’s body flowed into hisskin.

“And it fuckingspeaks!”

“Get her.” They shoved one of their numberforward.

“Hell no! You see that things claws? Itsteeth?”

Jax growled. “She doesn’t have time for this!” He moved forward; all the humans scurried back, stumbling over oneanother.

“What the hell is this?” someone shouted from the far end of the dock. Heavy footfalls ploddednearer.

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